Martyrs
by Skovko
Summary: There's a war going on between the sexes. Men on one side, women on the other side. One of the female gangs kidnaps a leader from one of the male gangs. Beryl Riott says that he belongs to her and that she's not sharing. She has no interest in hurting him though. She wants to help him. But they both know the war will never end. They need to do something big to open everyone's eyes.
1. A war between the sexes

Beryl raised her eyes and looked at the man as he was being dragged into the building growling and shouting by several of the women from their gang. She knew that man. Everyone knew him. Roman Reigns. One of the leaders from the biggest male gang The Shield.

"Get your fucking hands off me! Don't you bitches know who I am? My brothers will come for me! None of you will stand a chance!" Roman shouted.

Beryl sighed. He was one of the leaders of the top male gang but she was one of the leaders of the top female gang. The Riott Squad. Only one person ranged higher than her. Her 6 year old younger little sister Ruby. It was Ruby's idea to break out from their old gang and start their own. Ruby wanted power. Beryl wanted to live a peaceful life and not have anyone tell her what to do so she followed her sister.

"You're so fucking dead! All of you!" Roman continued shouting.

The women laughed as they pulled him towards the room they would chain him up in. He knew what fate awaited him in that room. Woman after woman would come in there and rape him. It wasn't like his side was any different. They did the same to women. There was a war between the sexes, and if either side wanted to survive, they had to kidnap someone of the opposite sex from the other side.

"He's mine," Beryl said.

The women stopped and stared at Beryl. She knew how it had to look. She never joined in on any of the men that had been brought into their home.

"But you usually don't want anything to do with it," Liv said astonished.  
"How can I pass on such a fine piece of meat?" Beryl grinned. "Put him in the room and tell everyone to stay away unless they wanna find themselves on the other end of my knife."

Beryl looked into Roman's eyes. He had stopped shouting while the little conversation had been going on. Liv let out a giggle, and the women dragged him into the room. Beryl stayed behind and waited. Shortly after the women came back out and closed the door behind them.

"He's all yours," Sarah said.  
"Run along now," Beryl said. "And tell Ruby this one's mine. I'm not sharing with anyone."

Beryl waited until the women were out of sight. She let herself into the room, not surprised to find Roman chained to the bed with his hands above his head. His dark brown eyes were watching her.

"Where's your knife?" He asked.

She stepped over to the bed and looked down at him.

"I'm gonna release you now," she said.  
"Are you sure you wanna do that?" He twisted a cruel smile.  
"You can hurt me or kill me. I honestly don't care anymore," she sighed. "Aren't you tired of this war? For as long as we've been alive, this is all we've known. Men versus women. Why? When does it end? I'm tired, Roman. I'm so fucking tired. So if you wanna kill me, go ahead. You can take your chances of getting out of here without my help, or you can let me help you."

Her green eyes stared directly into his. Beryl green. He knew where she got her name from. He also remembered those eyes from a long time ago. He had never forgotten them. He doubted she remembered though.

"I won't hurt you," he said.

She unchained him and took a step back. He sat up slowly so he wouldn't scare her, and swung his legs out on the floor. For a few seconds they just stared at each other.

"You're gonna help me out of here?" He finally asked.  
"Tonight when everyone's asleep," she said.  
"And until then?" He asked.  
"I won't let anyone hurt you," she said.  
"Are you gonna run too or come up with some excuse why I'm gone. Like you killed me and got rid of the body? Will you help the next ones after me as well?" He asked.  
"Gosh, stop asking so many stupid questions!" She growled. "I don't know, okay? I don't fucking know. All I know is that I can't do this shit anymore. It's not right. None of us got any right in raping, hurting and killing people. Not me, not you, not anyone. People should be able to choose who they wanna be with like in the old days."

He grabbed her fast and pulled her down to straddle his lap. She looked at him surprised.

"Kiss me," he said.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Because you want to," he answered. "And because I want you to."

She leaned down and kissed him. He ran his fingers through her long, black and red hair. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers.

"We've met before," he said.

He recalled the day 24 years ago. He was only 10 when he ran into her. It was his first meeting with someone from the other sex. He knew he wasn't allowed to leave his home alone but the new fallen snow had been too tempting to leave the first footprints in.

"You probably don't remember it," he said. "We met in the forest. We must both have been rebel kids since we ran out there alone. I remember your eyes. Back then your hair was all black. You've changed it. I like it. I liked it back then too."

He held a short pause but she didn't say anything. She continued having her forehead against his while he talked.

"I finally found the courage to throw a snowball at you," he chuckled at the memory. "For so long you just stared at me. I thought you were gonna run and tell on me, and that I would be taken away by the evil women my father warned me about. I turned to run, and you threw a snowball right at the back of my head."  
"I got you good," she said.  
"You remember," he sounded surprised.

He moved his head back so he could look at her. She had the cutest smirk on her face from remembering the snowball she threw at him.

"Yeah, you got me good," he smirked back. "I had snow falling inside my shirt. It was cold as fuck."  
"And then you jumped me. We both fell down in the snow and had a brawl," she said.  
"That was so funny," he said.

He placed his hands on her cheeks and traced her lips with his thumb.

"That was the day I realized this world was a fucked up place. I told myself I would be different. That I would do right by everyone. I formed a new group and we rose up fast. But it's not only me. The others slowly turned as the numbers grew. People came from other gangs where they were used to that lifestyle. If I go against my men, I'm dead," he said.  
"Same here," she said. "But maybe that's what it takes to finally wake up people. Some great sacrifice."

He heard her. He knew what she meant. He just wasn't sure it would be enough in the long run.

"We should leave together. Just you and me," he said. "Run out in a forest somewhere, build a cabin and live our lives in peace."  
"Have snowball fights in the Winter?" She asked.  
"Yes," he chuckled. "As many as you want."  
"It's a beautiful dream. It's also a childish dream. Our gangs will never let us live in peace," she said.

She sighed and moved up from his lap.

"This world isn't gonna change for anyone. It's the people that need to change for the world," she said.  
"I know," he sighed too. "I know you're right. Everything you're saying is right. We need to do something. And fast. My men will come for me at dawn. I don't think your women thought about the risk of kidnapping a leader. They're bringing the war to your doorstep."


	2. Tired of it all

Beryl and Roman had talked all evening. There wasn't really any easy solution. Either she sent him back and went back to live like she always had, or they went down together. Of course they could run like he had suggested but they both knew they wouldn't make it. There was no escape in this cruel world.

"Ready?" She asked.  
"Ready," he nodded.  
"Let's go," she said.

She opened the door and listened. The place was silent. Almost everyone was asleep. The only ones still awake were outside on their guard posts.

"We're going left," she whispered. "Liv is easier to deal with."

He nodded behind her. The last thing he wanted was to speak and have someone hear him. He followed behind her through the darkness until they reached the blonde woman on her post. He was surprised to see how quick and soundlessly Beryl moved up behind Liv and put her knife to the blonde woman's throat.

"Ssh," Beryl whispered. "It's just me."  
"Beryl? What's going on?" Liv asked.  
"Give me your guns," Beryl said.

Liv took the gun from her belt and handed it backwards. Beryl took it and handed it to Roman.

"And your other gun," Beryl said.  
"Why do you even want them? You never use guns," Liv protested.  
"None of your concern. Your only concern is my fucking knife against your throat. Now hand over your other gun or you'll feel my knife go through your throat," Beryl said.

Liv raised her foot and took the gun she kept by her ankle. She handed it backwards for Beryl to take too.

"Good girl," Beryl said. "We're gonna take off now. You're gonna go wake up Ruby and everyone else and tell them we're waiting by the old road."  
"Don't cross it," Liv pleaded. "Don't go into male territory."  
"We'll be waiting," Beryl said.  
"Who's we?" Liv asked.

Beryl let go of Liv. Liv turned around and stared with wide eyes at Roman.

"You can't take him. Ruby's gonna be so mad," Liv said.  
"Go wake her up," Beryl said.

Beryl and Roman took off into the darkness while Liv ran back inside to wake up everyone. Beryl and Roman reached the old road fast.

"No turning back," she said.  
"We can still make a run for it," he said.  
"Run, Roman. Don't be a martyr. Leave that to me," she said.  
"And miss out on the fun?" He smirked.  
"You call this fun?" She asked.

He kissed her. She melted into his arms. How he wished they had met in another time where men and women weren't at war so they could have started a real relationship and settled down together.

"It's not fun. I know that," he sighed. "But neither is the life we're currently living. Like you, I'm so fucking tired of it all. I don't wanna do it anymore."

"There they are!" Sarah yelled.  
"Roman!" Seth bellowed from the other side.

Beryl and Roman had timed it perfectly. Roman knew his men would come at dawn. That was a rule if any leader was ever taken. They had timed their escape and making Liv wake up everyone so they all would be at the old road at dawn. The road that separated the male and the female side. Beryl and Roman quickly moved to stand back to back so that he was facing his men and she was facing her women. Every man and woman stopped and looked at them.

"What are you doing?" Ruby asked.  
"I can't do this anymore," Beryl said. "This isn't right. It needs to stop. This war needs to stop, Ruby."  
"Don't be silly," Ruby said.  
"What will it take to make it all stop?" Beryl asked. "How much blood has to be spilled before it's enough?"

Roman stared at Seth. As always his little brother and co-leader tried to get the situation under control. Seth was a control freak. He couldn't control this though.

"Roman?" Seth asked.  
"She's right. This war needs to end," Roman looked at his men. "Don't you wanna know what it's like to be a woman who actually wants you? To form friendships and fall in love?"  
"Not really. I get what I need," Seth said.

The men behind Seth chimed in. On the other side the women started howling and shouting too. No one was listening to Beryl and Roman.

"I told you," Beryl sighed.  
"I always knew," Roman sighed back. "Fuck, I wish I had met you in another time."  
"Me too," Beryl said. "It's not too late. Go back. Just take the few steps back to your men and you're safe."  
"Fuck that! We're doing this," Roman said.

He hooked his arm with hers and spun them both around at the same time so she was facing his men and he was facing her women. They both raised a gun each, the guns they had taken from Liv. They didn't point them at anyone but seeing guns being raised from the opposite side was enough to make both Ruby and Seth draw their own guns and shoot the person in front of them. Beryl and Roman crashed down and landed awkwardly tangled together.

"No! Beryl!" Ruby screamed.  
"Roman?" Seth looked shocked. "Big brother?"

Ruby ran to her sister, fell to her knees and cried into the shirt of her big sister. Seth moved more slow to Roman, dropped to his knees and placed his hand on Roman's chest.

"What did I do?" Seth whispered.  
"What did we do?" Ruby asked.

Seth raised his head and looked at Ruby. Both of them were crying. In that moment they understood each other. They felt the same pain. They didn't need to say anything. They just nodded at each other in a silent agreement. Liv and Sarah moved in to help Ruby pick up Beryl while Dean and Baron came to Seth's aid with Roman's body. No one spoke as either side took their fallen leaders.

"What do we do now?" Baron asked.  
"We go home," Seth said.  
"Really?" Baron pointed at the women. "There's so many of them. Let's take at least one or two."  
"No one takes anyone," Seth said.  
"Why not?" Baron asked.  
"No one fucking touches anyone!" Seth shouted. "If you wanna continue this stupid war, go start another gang on your own. I'm done!"  
"Seth?" Ruby called.

Seth looked over at Ruby who took a few steps closer. She still stayed on her side of the road though. Seth left Dean and Baron to hold Roman while he stepped up to the road too.

"If you ever wanna try and work out some sort of agreement, you got my word that no one will lay a finger on you if you come into our territory. As long as it's you with two men tops so we know you're not coming to attack," she said.  
"I'll take you up on that offer," he said. "I promise."


End file.
